Hello! This day has been FILLED with nothing but paper writing and sniffles! I guess I had no chance of finishing the year without a little visit from the cold bug. What a bummer… Really a bummer, I am not thrilled! I have, however, been taking a few steps to kick this cold, or at least to trick my mind into thinknig that I am kicking it. If you do a little research you will find lots of home remedies that claim to work! They may or may not work, I am not a medical professional, and I am still learning how to take care of myself without my mom (I don’t know if this will ever change)… Anyways, I choose to believe this little remedies do help…
There are many home remedies worth a try, but these are the ones I have attempted so far:
- Morning mucus fighting medicines: Mucinex and Allerclear. Y’all, I despise Mucinex. It is a big pill that always gets stuck in my throat or chest, unless I thoroughly flush it with three glasses of water! Ok, maybe all it needs is one glass of water. Even though I am not a fan I am sticking with it!
- Gargle with salt water. GROSS! but I can’t avoid it. This has been a home remedy used in my family since as far back as I can remember. If I didn’t gargle the salt, I would be convinced it was the very reason my sore throat has lingered on and on. Sore throat be gone!
- Drink Herbal Tea! Any Herbal Tea will work, but I found special Echinacea Plus Immune System supporting tea by Traditional Medicinals. It can be found in the tea section and claims to, “activate and stimulate immune cells,* helping you reduce the duration of symptoms.” Did you guys see that little star hidden in there. Not a typo, this was also on the box, “*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” But there is a chance right? 5 cups a day it is. Moving on.
- Don’t forget WATER. Copious amounts of water if you will. Lets do 10- 8 oz glasses, just to be sure. Hot water is said to help clear the phlegm build up, and in my opinion, much easier to drink with a sore throat. This little tip is probably the best one, but unfortunately the hardest for me to follow through on.
- Hot Showers! Never fails. The past few days I have taken many showers to clear the congestion, even just for 30 minutes. The steam is what does it. Clears those sinuses right up.
- Naps, naps, naps. Love ’em and hate ’em. I love to sleep, but I hate taking naps and losing part of my day. Today was the first day I took a nap from sheer desperation. Hopefully the extra rest provided some fighting power for my immune system!
- There is this nifty little invention that I grabbed by fate. It is called a Vicks Inhaler. I thought it was Chapstick, because, well, that is what it looks like. It is AWESOME. I am almost addicted. You just put it next to a nostril and sniff those Vicks vapory fumes for a few, sweet minutes of stuffy nose freedom. Wonderful.
- And of course, old fashioned Vicks VapoRub at night. You know, the kind you rub on your throat and chest. It may not fight off a cold, but it sure is comforting.
Thats it. That is all I’ve got. Hopefully something works eventually!
Oh, wait! I do have one more thing to add. An easy, comforting afternoon snack!
Microwave Baked Apples
- 1 Large Apple
- 2 Splenda Packs
- Cinnamon
- 1 Large Zip Lock Bag or Cling Wrap
- Slice your apple and place in a microwaveable bowl
- Sprinkle with Splenda and Cinnamon
- Cover with Cling Wrap or place inside Ziplock bag. Leave a small hole for steam to escape.
- Microwave for 5 minutes. Make sure to use potholders when removing from the microwave.
- Enjoy!
Do you have any cold fighting remedies?
